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abolition-usa-digest       Monday, June 14 1999       Volume 01 : Number 140




----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: Sun, 13 Jun 1999 10:44:44 -0700
From: "David Crockett Williams" <[e-mail]>
Subject: (abolition-usa) Surplus! What Surplus?

From: Hilary A. Thomas <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail] <[e-mail]>
Subject: [InTheShadows] Surplus! What Surplus?
Date: Sunday, January 24, 1999 11:55 AM

From: "Hilary A. Thomas" <[e-mail]>

 -Caveat Lector-

 Clinton says there "is" a surplus.. (depends what "is" is).


 Surplus! What surplus? There IS NO surplus.
 -------------------------------------------
 by John Crudele, NYP

 THERE is no federal budget surplus.

 I'll say it again. There is no budget surplus.

 Before you even get to the issue of whether the "budget surplus"
 should be given back to taxpayers as the wishful Republicans
 suggest, or used to prop up Social Security, as the desperately-
 impeached President Clinton said in his State of the Union speech
 on Tuesday, there is a small issue that needs to be taken care of
 -- there really is no budget surplus.

 Issue No. 2.  There is no way people can be allowed to invest their
 Social Security money in the stock market.  That's because the
 "money" -- as in cash you, I or the government would turn over to
 a stockbroker -- also doesn't exist.

 All right, here I go again trying to explain how our elected
 officials in Washington are perpetrating a fraud by proclaiming
 that there is a budget surplus.

 Over the past year, the federal deficit -- which is money owed by
 our government -- rose from $5.486 trillion to $5.618 trillion.
 Those are government numbers right out of Barron's.

 That means the federal debt climbed by $132 billion.  Which means
 the federal budget DEFICIT last year was $132 billion.  There was
 no surplus of $70 billion, or any other amount, as Washington is
 claiming.

 When the economy weakens -- as it always does -- the true deficit
 numbers will increase.

 The surplus claim is wrong.  It's a fraud.

 Washington is able to pretend there is a surplus because it has
 been raiding the Social Security trust fund, which, you have to
 understand, isn't a pile a cash sitting somewhere in the Treasury.
 It's really a pile of government IOUs (Treasury bills, really)
 Washington puts into Social Security in exchange for the cash it
 steals.

 And it is our cash that is being stolen.  Anyone who pays into
 Social Security is really unwittingly buying IOUs from a government
 that might not be able to pay in decades to come.

 Right now the Social Security system is running a surplus because
 more money coming in than going out.  It's demographics at work --
 more employees than retirees.  That pleasant situation, however,
 will not last long.

 But this surplus belongs to people like me and you, who'll need it
 to retire someday.  So Washington shouldn't pretend that it belongs
 to the country and part of the budget.

 The president wants this non-existent "budget surplus" pumped back
 into Social Security.

 What does that mean?

 Washington will steal $200 billion from Social Security (turning a
 real $132 billion deficit into a $70 billion surplus), so that it
 can proclaim a budget surplus, then it will return the excess money
 to Social Security from where it was stolen in the first place.

 Oddly, that's actually a preferable charade to what the Republicans
 suggest.  At least under the president's plan the "surplus" comes
 full circle and ends up back in Social Security.

 Under the Republican plan, you would give away the "surplus" and
 the money will disappear from the Social Security circle all
 together.

 The president, however, is wrong in backing a plan to allow people
 -- in some form or another -- to invest their money in the stock
 market.  But the endorsement is a shrewd maneuver by a president
 in trouble.

 Bill Clinton knew back in 1992 what voters cared about --
 the economy and jobs.

 And it is the worst kept secret in American economic history that
 the only thing keeping this country's marvelous economy going is
 the stock market bubble.  It's just like Japan's wonderful economy
 before the bubble burst a few years back.

 Americans -- like the Japanese -- feel rich because of the stock
 market.  And even though companies are laying off workers faster
 than they were during the hard times of the early 1990s, Wall
 Street is keeping people content.

 I estimate that President Clinton has no better than a 50-50 chance
 of remaining in office.  Those odds go down to 60-40 against his
 presidency once witnesses are called before the impeachment trial
 (some day I'll be able to tell you why.)

 The president can maintain his high rating if the stock market
 keeps the economy rolling along.  But like any other Ponzi scheme,
 the Wall Street bubble can't continue unless fresh money keeps
 coming into the market.

 President Clinton's Social Security proposal would provide a lot of
 fresh money to keep the market going, which'll keep the economy
 perking, which will keep Clinton's rating high.

 It all works quite nicely -- except that the proposal to allow
 people to invest their Social Security money in the market is
 impossible to enact.  Here's why.

 As I said, there is no cash in Social Security.

 So if I am allowed to, say, put $10,000 of my Social Security money
 into the stock market, where is the cash going to come from?
 Washington doesn't have the cash.

 And if it does raise cash that'll be put in the market, who is
 going to supply the cash to pay retirees?

 Plus, liquidating Social Security's bonds would send interest rates
 skyrocketing.

 And when the stock market crashes, the Social Security system will
 be in worse shape than even the pessimists are predicting.



 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
 From: [e-mail]
 Date: Fri, 22 Jan 1999


 HUMPTY DUMPTY

 "Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall..."  Everything is going just great.
 The economy is strong, the budget is balanced, and the wall on
 which Humpty Dumpty is perched is as solid as a rock.  We have
 nothing to worry about.  The world-wide depression has nothing to
 do with us.  It won't happen here because the politicians will take
 care of everything.  We have enough money so that we can have a
 tax cut or perhaps some new spending programs.  In his most recent
 State of the Union address before Congress President Clinton
 outlined some of the spending programs he is planning so that the
 public will vote for Democrats.  The Republicans are relying on
 "ye olde tax cut at election time."

 But there is a little problem with all of this.  If the budget is
 really balanced, why is it that the national debt keeps growing?
 A computer user can easily find many places where the official debt
 clock keeps ticking away.  As of January 11, 1999, the NATIONAL
 DEBT was $5,614,992,595,555.12, and that is about $20,000 dollars
 for every man, woman, and child in the United States.  We thought
 that four trillion dollars was too much debt in 1992, but now the
 figures exceed five and one half trillion dollars, hurtling toward
 a predicted SIX TRILLION at the end of the century.

 Clinton's response to this is that "growth will take care of it".
 Now that word, growth, is Clintonese for inflation!  Are we to pay
 off the national debt by inflating the currency so that the money
 that we have will be worth a fraction of its present value?  And
 indeed, inflation has already carved a great big hole in individual
 incomes.  What a fraud on the American public.  Because business
 has been stimulated at the expense of labor we see a temporary
 reduction in the deficit, but not enough to even slow down the
 accumulation of debt!  And the politicians are quarreling over
 how to spend it!

 "And Humpty Dumpty had a great fall...." Of course, the politicians
 will now and then admit that there is a little problem with
 financing Medicare and also perhaps Social Security.  We hear that
 these programs may "go broke" in the not too distant future.  Can
 these programs go broke without bankrupting the entire government?
 No, they cannot; they are just too big now, taking too large a
 share of the nation's income.  It is like saying this about a
 household budget:  We can balance our personal budget.  All we have
 to do is to declare that the house payment is "off budget", and
 presto! everything is balanced.  See how easy it is?

 What will happen if we do not meet the mortgage payment?
 An individual would be out on the street, but when it happens to
 an entire country the consequences are much more severe.   All we
 need to do to understand what default means to a country is to look
 around the world right now at Russia, Indonesia,  and other places
 where governments cannot meet their obligations.  The depth and
 breath of the tragedies there have not been dealt with in the
 American press, but people are starving and the major part of the
 populations are existing on incomes well below the poverty line.

 POLL YOU

 We are being lied to.  There is no budget surplus because they are
 playing games with the figures.  Furthermore, taxpayer's money is
 being used to help the politicians lie to us!  They poll, they find
 out what words will please the average voter, and that voter is
 getting the bill for his own deception!

 Why is it so difficult for them to tell the truth?  The problem is
 that they believe that they would not be elected if they told it
 like it is.  So, we get deeper and deeper into debt.  Lie is heaped
 upon lie, and the world's economies crumble around us.  One of
 these days we are not going to be able to meet the interest
 obligation on that huge debt.  We cannot help but wonder, will
 what happened to Humpty Dumpty happen to us?


=2E

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------------------------------

Date: Mon, 14 Jun 1999 11:17:39 -0400
From: ASlater <[e-mail]>
Subject: (abolition-usa) Fwd: Earth Day 2000 -- Organizing Idea #2, Sign-On

>Date: Fri, 11 Jun 1999 02:31:34 -0400
>Subject: Fwd: Earth Day 2000 -- Organizing Idea #2, Sign-On
>To: [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail],
> [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail],
> [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail],
> [e-mail], [e-mail],
> [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail],
> [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail],
> [e-mail], [e-mail]
>From: [e-mail] ([e-mail])
>
>------Begin forward message-------------------------
>
>Return-Path: <[e-mail]>
>Subject: Fwd: Earth Day 2000 -- Organizing Idea #2, Sign-On
>
>Return-Path: <[e-mail]>
>From: SUN DAY Campaign <[e-mail]>
>To: "'Sustainable Energy Coalition: Weekly Update - List'"
>        <[e-mail]>
>Subject: Earth Day 2000 -- Organizing Idea #2
>Date: Wed, 9 Jun 1999 06:12:08 -0400
>
>
>To: Energy & Environmental Organizations and Businesses
>
>Re. Earth Day 2000 -- Organizing Idea #2
>      Sign-on to Letter Urging Members of Congress to Join Renewable Caucus
>
>As part of its contribution to the Earth Day 2000 effort, the member
>groups of the Sustainable Energy Coalition will be
>working to increase the membership in the U.S. Senate's Renewable Energy &
>Energy Efficiency Caucus as well as in the U.S.
>House of Rep
>resentative's Renewable Energy Caucus.
>
>Currently, the Senate Caucus, founded earlier this year, includes 24
>members while the House Caucus, founded three years
>ago, includes 151 members.  We would like to substantially increase
>congressional membership in both groups.
>
>Toward that end, we are inviting your organization or business to add its
>name to the letter below to be delivered to those
>members of the House of Representatives who have not yet joined the House
>Renewable Energy Caucus.  A comparable letter will
>also b
>e delivered to those members who have not yet joined the Senate Renewable
>Energy & Energy Efficiency Caucus.
>
>Sign-ons are requested by Friday, June 18.
>
>The letter will probably be delivered on June 21.
>
>To supplement the letter, we encourage you to also consider sending your
>own letter to the members of your congressional
>delegation urging them to join the caucuse if they are not already
>members.  (A list of current members can be found at
><http://www.bi>omass.org>.)
>
>Congressional offices can be reached through the main congressional
>switchboard at 202-224-3121. Members of the Senate can
>be contacted c/o U.S. Senate, Washington, DC 20510 while members of the
>House can be contacted c/o U.S. House of
>Representatives, Wa
>shington, DC 20515.
>
>We look forward to hearing from you.
>
>-Ken Bossong
> for the members of the
> Sustainable Energy Coalition
>
>------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>SUSTAINABLE ENERGY COALITION
>Washington, D.C.
>
>(PROPOSED GROUP LETTER TO MEMBERS OF CONGRESS)
>
>JOIN THE HOUSE RENEWABLE ENERGY CAUCUS
>
>
>June xx, 1999
>
>attn: Energy or Environmental Staff
>
>Dear Representative:
>
>We, the undersigned xx business, environmental, consumer, and energy
>policy organizations are writing to urge you to become
>a member of the House Renewable Energy Caucus.
>
>Founded in 1996 by former Representatives Dan Schaefer (R-CO) and Scott
>Klug (R-WI), the House Renewable Energy Caucus is a
>non-legislative, bipartisan organization to promote greater awareness
>among the members of Congress of the status and
>potential of
>renewable energy (i.e., solar, wind, geothermal, biomass, hydroelectric)
>and energy efficiency technologies.  In a March 26,
>1996 "Dear Colleague" letter to the members of Congress, Rep. Schaefer
>noted that the Caucus was formed "because of our
>support fo
>r renewable energy technologies which help offset fuel imports, build our
>domestic economy, create major export
>opportunities, and provide clean, inexhaustible energy for millions of
>consumers."
>
>Since its formation, through a series of periodic seminars, information
>alerts, and exhibits, the Caucus has served as a
>information clearinghouse and helped Members and staff stay current on
>renewable energy and energy efficiency developments.
>It also h
>elps stage an annual "Expo" at which dozens of energy companies,
>government laboratories, and trade associations demonstrate
>their latest technologies.  The 1998 and 1999 Renewable Energy Expo's each
>attracted nearly 3,000 visitors including Members
>of Co
>ngress, staff, Administration officials, and interested members of the
>media and the general public.  Overall, the existence
>and growth of the caucus has been pivotal in demonstrating congressional
>support for sustainable energy technologies during
>the pa
>st four years.
>
>The Caucus, presently chaired by Rep. Matt Salmon (R-AZ) and co-chaired by
>Reps. Karen Thurman (D-FL), Vern Ehlers (R-MI),
>and David Minge (D-MN), has grown to include 151 members (65 R's, 85 D's,
>1 I.). We urge you to join your colleagues and
>become a me
>mber of the House Renewable Energy Caucus and work with us to promote a
>sustainable energy future.
>
>Sincerely,
>
>Alliance to Save Energy
>American Bioenergy Association
>American Green Network
>American Public Power Association
>American Solar Energy Society
>American Wind Energy Association
>Americans for Clean Energy
>Bob Lawrence and Associates
>Cascade Associates *
>Clean Fuels Foundation
>Communications Consortium Media Center
>Environmental & Energy Study Institute
>Geothermal Energy Association
>Global BioRefineries, Inc.
>International District Energy Association
>National BioEnergy Industries Association
>National Hydropower Association
>Potomac Resources, Inc.
>Public Citizen
>Renewable Fuels Association
>Safe Energy Communication Council
>Solar Energy Industries Association
>SUN DAY Campaign
>Union of Concerned Scientists
>
>
>
>
>------End forward message---------------------------
>
>
>------End forward message---------------------------
>
Alice Slater
Global Resource Action Center for the Environment (GRACE)
15 East 26th Street, Room 915
New York, NY 10010
tel:  [phone]
fax:  [phone]
email:  [e-mail]

GRACE is a member of Abolition 2000, a global network working for a treaty
to eliminate nuclear weapons.

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 To unsubscribe to abolition-usa, send an email to "[e-mail]"
 with "unsubscribe abolition-usa" in the body of the message.
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------------------------------

Date: Mon, 14 Jun 1999 11:58:01 -0400
From: ASlater <[e-mail]>
Subject: (abolition-usa) Fwd: ACTION ALERT - BEIR VII - URGENT

Dear Friends,
The following action alert addresses a new committee being established to
review health standards for radiation.  The Alliance for Nuclear
Accountability
is asking for letters to be sent in protest of the lack of proper
representation on a committee which will have a great deal of influence on how
radioactive waste is handled in this country.  Please add your voices.  Many
thanks.  Alice Slater

>Date: Fri, 11 Jun 1999 10:13:05 -0400
>Subject: ACTION ALERT - BEIR VII - URGENT
>Priority: non-urgent
>X-FC-MachineGenerated: true
>To: [e-mail]
>From: [e-mail] ([e-mail])
>
>ACTION ALERT   ACTION ALERT   ACTION ALERT   ACTION ALERT   ACTION ALERT
>
>
>LETTERS ABOUT BEIR VII COMMITTEE NEEDED BY 22 JUNE, 1999
>
>
>Folks,
>
>The National Academy of Sciences has proposed members for the BEIR VII
>(Biological Effects of Ionizing Radiation) Committee. This committee
>will
>be making decisions over the next few years that will have a huge
>influence
>on the protectiveness of future standards for health protection,
>environmental cleanup, whether irradiated metals find their ways into
>commercial products and municipal landfills, etc.  Its very biased,
>toward the nuclear industry
>and views that discount the harmful effects of ionizing radiation at low
>levels of exposure.  So, the composition of the committee is very
>important.
>
>ANA nominated a number of people for the committee and none were
>selected.
>We were assured during DC Days meetings that the committee would be
>balanced and representative and credible.  Instead, the proposed
>committee
>members are pro-nuclear industry and several have stated positions that
>are ideological and at the extreme of conservative perspectives about
>the health risks of radiation, such as that
>epidemiological studies have not demonstrated adverse health effects
>below
>exposures of 10rem
>
>Please send the following letter immediately to the National Academy of
>Sciences, asking for a more balanced committee and to add several more
>members to
>correct the current biases and to look to the list ANA previously sent
>for
>good candidates.  The main point is that the committee as currently set
>up is very slanted and a sham, and that we want substantive change in
>the
>composition of the committee.  At a minimum this positions us to
>demonstrate the degree to
>which NAS is irresponsibele, and unresponsive to public input.  It will
>also
>be helpful if we are looking for political support later on.
>
>Deadline for public comment is June 22.
>
>The Health Working Group is composing a more lengthy letter with
>additional
>details about the biases of individuals and of the proposed committee as
>a
>whole.  That will become an ANA letter. Nuclear Information Resource
>Service and others are also writing a longer letter and will be seeking
>sign-ons.  Please stay tuned for rapid sign-ons to the NIRS letter.
>
>If you want more information about the committee, check out the NAS web
>site or contact me, or Lisa Rittel.
>
>Thanks for your support!
>
>Seth
>
>PS:  YOU CAN ALSO EMAIL YOUR COMMENTS TO
>[e-mail]
>
>==================
>Dr. Rick Jostes
>Study Director
>BEIR VII
>National Academy of Sciences
>2101 Constitution Ave., NW
>Washington, DC  20418
>
>Dear Dr. Jostes,
>
>We are writing to express our concerns about the make-up of the proposed
>BEIR VII Committee.  The proposed members will create a committee that
>has
>a very strong pro-nuclear industry bias.  This calls into question the
>ability for the BEIR VII study to be credible, both scientifically and
>to
>the public.  Before the Committee membership is finalized these biases
>should be corrected.
>
>First, a number of the proposed members have publicly stated ideological
>positions regarding the health effects of low level exposures to
>ionizing
>radiation.  At the same time, there appears to be no nominee that
>strongly
>advocates the validity of extrapolating below limits of epidemiological
>detection.  Furthermore, no nominee has the strong background required
>to
>review more recent research, such as studies of genomic instability.
>
>Second, a thorough and critical understanding of the A-Bomb survivor
>studies is missing from the proposed members.  Members of the BEIR VII
>committee should be prepared to critically deliberate about the validity
>of
>the A-bomb survivor studies as well as other epidemiological research,
>rather than accept results with unquestioned authority.
>
>Third, a number of the nominees have been expert witnesses for the
>nuclear
>industry and DOE contractors.  In spite of these one-sided orientations,
>there are, however, no nominees who have worked for community groups or
>citizen plaintiffs.
>
>Fourth, none of the nominees are physicians or public health officials.
>Nor do any of the nominees have a strong background in medical/health
>ethics.
>
>Together, these kinds of biases call into question the ability of the
>Committee to thoroughly and critically deliberate about the health
>effects
>of ionizing radiation at low levels of exposure.  The credibility of the
>results
>of the BEIR VII study will accordingly also be questionable.
>
>The NAS should correct these biases on the Committee.  Several
>additional
>members should be appointed who can broaden the perspectives and
>expertise
>on the Committee and who will balance the many varieties of biases.  To
>correct for these biases calls for more than an additional one or two
>people to
>be appointed to the Committee.  A number of individuals who can
>competently
>represent missing scientific perspectives were nominated initially by
>the
>Alliance for Nuclear Accountability.  The NAS should return to these
>names
>in its search to address these problems.
>
>Thank you for your time.  We would appreciate a written response to this
>letter, [[ADD YOUR ADDRESS HERE]]
>
>Sincerely,
>
>your name & organization
>
>
>
>--
>*****************************************
>I HAVE A NEW EMAIL ADDRESS
>[e-mail]
>*****************************************
>
>Seth Tuler
>Social and Environmental Research Institute
>PO Box 253
>Leverett, MA  01054-0253
>413-548-9968
>
Alice Slater
Global Resource Action Center for the Environment (GRACE)
15 East 26th Street, Room 915
New York, NY 10010
tel:  [phone]
fax:  [phone]
email:  [e-mail]

GRACE is a member of Abolition 2000, a global network working for a treaty
to eliminate nuclear weapons.

- -
 To unsubscribe to abolition-usa, send an email to "[e-mail]"
 with "unsubscribe abolition-usa" in the body of the message.
 For information on digests or retrieving files and old messages send
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------------------------------

Date: Mon, 14 Jun 1999 15:19:51 -0400
From: ASlater <[e-mail]>
Subject: (abolition-usa) Fwd: Nt'l Campaign for Peace in Yugoslavia  June 24 Congressional Actions

>Date: Mon, 14 Jun 1999 14:29:31 -0400
>Subject: Nt'l Campaign for Peace in Yugoslavia  June 24 Congressional
Actions
>To: [e-mail]
>From: [e-mail] ([e-mail])
>
>Dear Friends,
>
>        Thank God the bombing and ethnic violence are at least temporarily
over!
>But in Washington and Europe there is a triumphalism about cruise missile
>humanitarianism which leaves me with an ominous foreboding. Will the US and
>NATO go on to future 23,000-bomb campaigns in the name of humanity?  Will
>the international community really search for constructive alternatives?
>We have a chance now to raise our voices collectively for a turn away from
>bomb and starve foreign policy.  The National Campaign for Peace in
>Yugoslavia, composed of 27 peace and human rights organizations and
>religious peace fellowships, is organizing a nationwide effort to get 100
>visits to local offices of congresspeople on June 24th or some time close
>to that. So get together a few friends to join you and make an appointment
>to see the congressperson or their staff.  If they put you off, you might
>consider going anyway and waiting to be heard by your representative. Here
>are some talking points you might want to use:
>1. The UN needs to be funded and organized to be the world peacekeeping
>mechanism.  Unilateral action by the US or with a compliant regional
>military alliance leads to US as world policeman with its attendant costs
>in blood, money and distortion of American democratic values.
>2. The US and NATO have a moral obligation to finance the rebuilding of
>Yugoslavia.  It is not acceptable to leave thousands of children to die of
>malnutrition and cholera as we have in Iraq because we oppose the leader.
>3. "Cruise Missile Humanitarianism" has caused a horrible destruction of
>life, infrastructure, the environment and the relations between groups in
>Yugoslavia and beyond.  We have to develop constructive ways for the
>international community to intervene to head off or constrain cases of mass
>violence.
>4. We oppose shifting national budget priorities from human needs at home
>and abroad to the military.
>
>I hope you can find others to join you in a visit to the nearest office of
>a congressperson on or around June 24th.  E-mail me if you need more
>information. If you do set up an appointment, contact Fran Teplitz or Jim
>Bridgeman at Peace Action in Washington [phone] to report the fact.
>They will be having a press conference and reporting on how many visits
>will occur across the country. Fran's e-mail is [e-mail].
>        Peace,
>        Mike Yarrow
>PS We would like to know also if you can arrange a visit.
>
>Some pointers on visits to the local offices of a congressperson destilled
>from the Friends Committee on National Legislation Flyer.
>
>1. A visit by a number of local constituents to a local congressional
>office is often valuable.  It demonstrates to the legilator that a number
>of people from his or her home community share the concern.
>2. Be as positive as possible.  You might get further by suggesting
>positive measures which need to be taken now rather than dwelling on the
>horrors of the war and attacking the legislator for his/her support of it.
>3. To maximize the effectiveness it needs to be carefully planned.
>        A. Try to meet before hand and select a theme. In this case maybe "We
>would like to talk to the congressperson about what needs to be done in the
>aftermath of the war in Yugoslavia."
>        B. Select a person to make the opening remarks.
>        C. If you want to explore the four issues listed above, you might
select
>someone to articulate each one.
>        D. Do some background reading on the issues and if you can research
the
>congressperson's voting record. (For background contact AFSC Kosovo Peace
>Education Coordinator at [phone] or e-mail [e-mail]. For
>voting record, call Friends Committee on National Legislation at (202)
>547-6000.)
>4. Write a follow-up letter to the legislator, especially if you talk to
>the aid, thanking him for the opportunity to share your views and restating
>your points.
>
>Mike Yarrow
>Kosovo Peace Education Coordinator
>American Friends Service Committee
>1501 Cherry Street
>Philadelphia, PA 19102
>Tel:[phone]
>Fax:[phone]
>E-mail: [e-mail]
>
Alice Slater
Global Resource Action Center for the Environment (GRACE)
15 East 26th Street, Room 915
New York, NY 10010
tel:  [phone]
fax:  [phone]
email:  [e-mail]

GRACE is a member of Abolition 2000, a global network working for a treaty
to eliminate nuclear weapons.

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 To unsubscribe to abolition-usa, send an email to "[e-mail]"
 with "unsubscribe abolition-usa" in the body of the message.
 For information on digests or retrieving files and old messages send
 "help" to the same address.  Do not use quotes in your message.

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 14 Jun 1999 15:42:00 -0400
From: ASlater <[e-mail]>
Subject: (abolition-usa) Re: Minutes of the Abolition 2000 Annual Meeting 1999.

>
> Dear Friends,


Here are some addition, corrections to minutes:


>
> *Praful Bidwai (India) [[e-mail]]
>
> 2) Religious Organizations:
> Howard Hallman, (Methodists United For Peace with Justice), 1500 16th St.
> NW, Washington D.C., 20036, USA, Tel: [phone], Fax:
> [phone], E-Mail: [e-mail],
> Clayton Ramey, (Fellowship of Reconciliation), 521 North Broadway, Nyack,
> New York, 10960, USA, Tel: [phone], Fax: [phone], E-Mail:
> [e-mail].
> Dave Robinson, Pax Christi, 532 West 8th Street. E-mail:
> [e-mail]
> [Howard informed the caucus that he closed this list down: To subscribe to
> the working group's E-Mail list server, contact Howard Hallman.]
>
> 5) NATO Working Group:
> [Karina Wood informed the group that she would not be on this working group
> when she began her work with the HAP.  She had a co-convenor:


>
> Karina Wood, (Peace Action), 1819 H Street, NW, Suite 420, Washington,
> D.C. 20006, USA, Tel: [phone] ext. 3044, Fax: [phone],
> E-Mail: [e-mail].


>
> [Stephen Staples volunteered to organize a Corporate Working Group to
address
> the corporation-driven nuclear arms race and focus on the WTO meeting in
> Seattle this fall.]







Alice Slater
Global Resource Action Center for the Environment (GRACE)
15 East 26th Street, Room 915
New York, NY 10010
tel:  [phone]
fax:  [phone]
email:  [e-mail]

GRACE is a member of Abolition 2000, a global network working for a treaty
to eliminate nuclear weapons.

- -
 To unsubscribe to abolition-usa, send an email to "[e-mail]"
 with "unsubscribe abolition-usa" in the body of the message.
 For information on digests or retrieving files and old messages send
 "help" to the same address.  Do not use quotes in your message.

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 14 Jun 1999 16:30:07 -0400
From: ASlater <[e-mail]>
Subject: (abolition-usa) Fwd: Action Alert HR 45

>Date: Fri, 11 Jun 1999 10:30:00 -0400
>Subject: Action Alert HR 45
>Priority: non-urgent
>X-FC-MachineGenerated: true
>To: [e-mail]
>From: [e-mail] ([e-mail])
>
>==============================================================
>Public Citizen's Critical Mass Energy Project
>==============================================================
>Dear Activists:
>
>         In our ongoing effort to defeat H.R. 45 The Nuclear Waste Policy
>Act
>of
>         1999, we are taking an unusual approach in our strategy. There
>will
>be a
>         number of components to this particular strategy in the coming
>days
>and
>         weeks and we will be calling on you to assist in the
>implementation.
>
>         HR 45 may before the House of Representatives for a full vote
>within
>the
>         next few weeks though it could also be considerably longer. When
>it
>comes up
>         for the full floor vote the Rules Committee of the House of
>Representatives
>         will decide which amendments to the bill are allowed to be voted
>on
>by
>         Members of Congress.
>
>         Often times the Rules Committee blocks the most critical
>amendments
>which
>         address the largest flaws in the legislation thus limiting the
>debate
>on
>         these issues. This undemocratic maneuver helps ensure leadership
>and
>         industry priorities are retained in the legislation with little
>opportunity
>         for opposition
>
>         However, there is a way to reign in the Rules Committee.
>
>         We want you to call (time is of the essence) your Member of
>Congress
>         demanding their vote against H.R. 45 and asking them to oppose any
>"rule"
>         that blocks critical health and safety amendments from being voted
>on.
>
>         Ask your Member to demand that the amendment process be open to
>unlimited
>         amendments and truly fair and open debate. If the U.S. House
>wants to
>bail
>         out the nuclear industry allowing them to haul their waste across
>the
>         country, lets force them to do it in broad daylight.
>
>         24 of the 29 Amendments are designed to address concerns that the
>bill fails
>         to provide adequate measures to protect public health and safety.
>We
>want
>         the Rules Committee to allow debate on all of these amendments.
>
>         To view all of the amendments to HR 45 go to:
>         http://www.house.gov/rules/yucca_amendments.htm
>
>         For telephone numbers for the Capitol Hill office of your Member
>of
>Congress
>         go to:http://www.citizen.org/CMEP/dbases/member_info_1.HTML
>
>         We have enclosed a sample script for you to use in your telephone
>         conversation. It is unlikely that you will be put through to your
>         Representative in which case you should ask for the Legislative
>Aide
>         assigned to nuclear waste issues.
>
>         As always, thank you for your continued activism.
>
>
>****************************************************************************
>         Telephone Script
>
>         "My name is Joe Smith and I am a constituent of Congressman/woman
>(name) and
>         I would like to speak to him / her about nuclear waste and HR 45.
>
>         "As a voting, tax paying resident of your constituency I demand
>that
>you
>         vote against HR 45, The Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1999. This
>legislation
>         should be defeated because of the enormous risks it poses to the
>health and
>         safety of the American public and because it is a quick, temporary
>fix for a
>         huge problem that will not disappear simply because it is buried.
>
>         "I would also like to ask that when the legislation comes to House
>floor for
>         a vote that you oppose any "rule" that blocks critical health and
>safety
>         amendments from being voted on. Please ensure that the process is
>open to
>         unlimited amendments and a truly fair and open debate."
>
>         "Thank you for your time."
>
>
>         Public Citizen's Critical Mass Energy Project
>         215 Penn Ave., SE
>         Washington DC 20003
>         [e-mail]
>         Ph: 202 546-4996 F: 202 547-7392
>         http://www.citizen.org/cmep
>
>**************************************************************************
>
>
>Public Citizen's Critical Mass Energy Project
>215 Penn Ave., SE
>Washington DC 20003
>[e-mail]
>Ph: 202 546-4996            F: 202 547-7392
>http://www.citizen.org/cmep
>**************************************************************************
>
>======================================================
>Questions about the CMEP-list can be directed to [e-mail]
>========================================================
>
Alice Slater
Global Resource Action Center for the Environment (GRACE)
15 East 26th Street, Room 915
New York, NY 10010
tel:  [phone]
fax:  [phone]
email:  [e-mail]

GRACE is a member of Abolition 2000, a global network working for a treaty
to eliminate nuclear weapons.

- -
 To unsubscribe to abolition-usa, send an email to "[e-mail]"
 with "unsubscribe abolition-usa" in the body of the message.
 For information on digests or retrieving files and old messages send
 "help" to the same address.  Do not use quotes in your message.

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 14 Jun 1999 16:44:32 -0400
From: ASlater <[e-mail]>
Subject: (abolition-usa) Fwd: Russia to sign mine treaty, but not US

>Date: Fri, 11 Jun 1999 13:21:19 -0400
>Subject: Russia to sign mine treaty, but not US
>Priority: non-urgent
>X-FC-MachineGenerated: true
>To: [e-mail]
>X-FC-Forwarded-From: [e-mail]
>From: [e-mail] ([e-mail])
>
>
>1) Russia Plans To Sign Agreement Banning Land Mines
>2)  G8 backs landmine curbs, US opposes total ban
>
>
> Russia Plans To Sign Agreement Banning Land Mines
>
> LD0906183099 Moscow ITAR-TASS in English 1750 GMT 9 Jun
>99  [By Oleg Artyushin, Alexei Golyayev, Vladimir Smelov and
>Andrei Urban]
>
> [FBIS Transcribed Text] COLOGNE, June 9 (Itar-Tass) -- Russia
>intends to sign the international agreement banning the production
>and use of land mines, Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov said.
>
> The agreement, signed in Ottawa, entered into force on March 1,
>1999. It has been ratified by 80 countries.
>
> At their meeting in Bonn, the foreign ministers of the world's seven
> major industrialised countries and Russia discussed at length the
> prevention of conflicts in the world and fight against organised
>crime.
>
> Special attention was given to ways of combatting illegal trafficking
>in arms and military hardware.
>
> [Description of Source: ITAR-TASS -- Main government information
> agency.]
>###
>
>BC-GROUP-LANDMINES (PICTURE)
>
> G8 backs landmine curbs, US opposes total ban
>
>    COLOGNE, Germany (Reuters) - Foreign ministers from the
>Group of Eight big powers agreed to support efforts to remove
>landmines Thursday, but the United States repeated its
>opposition to a universal ban on them.
>
>   "The G8 agrees to support ... implementation of the Ottawa
>Convention on landmines," the ministers said in a joint
>statement following talks in the German city of Cologne.
>
>    Canadian Foreign Minister Lloyd Axworthy, whose government
>has sponsored a treaty outlawing anti-personnel mines, told a
>news conference he welcomed indications from Russian Foreign
>Minister Igor Ivanov that Moscow was thinking of signing it.
>
>    Russia, along with China and the United States, is a major
>producer and user of landmines and, like the other two, has not
>so far agreed to endorse the ban, arguing that mines provide
>too useful military advantages to be abandoned outright.
>
>    "We were very encouraged to hear the Russian foreign
>minister indicate that his government is looking seriously at
>signing the treaty," Axworthy said, adding that the need for
>extensive removal of landmines in Kosovo as Serb forces
>withdraw had focused minds on the need to curb their use.
>
>    The Communist-led Russian parliament is unlikely, however,
>to ratify the landmine treaty since it views Moscow's stockpile
>of mines as a highly cost-effective part of its arsenal.
>
>    U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright repeated that
>Washington could also not support a universal ban on landmines.
>American troops use them, notably, as an efficient way of
>defending South Korea's border with the Communist North.
>
>    "On landmines, the U.S. position has not changed," Albright
>told the same news conference.
>
>    She added, however, that the United States was looking for
>alternatives to mines and stressed that U.S. troops would play
>a leading role in removing mines from Kosovo.
>
>    "The United States is the leader in the demining projects
>and we will have played a huge role in that around the world,"
>she said.
>
> REUTERS Reut12:28 06-10-99
>###
>
>
>
>[e-mail]
>
Alice Slater
Global Resource Action Center for the Environment (GRACE)
15 East 26th Street, Room 915
New York, NY 10010
tel:  [phone]
fax:  [phone]
email:  [e-mail]

GRACE is a member of Abolition 2000, a global network working for a treaty
to eliminate nuclear weapons.

- -
 To unsubscribe to abolition-usa, send an email to "[e-mail]"
 with "unsubscribe abolition-usa" in the body of the message.
 For information on digests or retrieving files and old messages send
 "help" to the same address.  Do not use quotes in your message.

------------------------------

End of abolition-usa-digest V1 #140
***********************************

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